As Covid cases surge, some parliamentarians decide to mask up

NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla wore a mask as the proceedings of the Parliament began today. A few other MPs including Raghav Chadda, Sushil Gupta, and Minister of State for skill development Rajeev Chandrasekhar were also seen wearing masks in the wake of a sudden surge in Covid cases in China and other countries. Security, Visitors and Personal Staff also wore masks today.

Masks were being distributed in Parliament as well.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to chair on Thursday afternoon a high-level meeting to review the Covid situation and its related aspects in the county.

In the last six months, India reported four cases of the BF.7 Omicron sub-variant, which is driving China’s current surge of infections.

Sources said, there are currently 10 different variants of Covid in the country, with the latest being BF.7.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday chaired a high-level meeting to review the prevailing Covid situation in the country and the preparedness of the public health system for surveillance, containment, and management of the pandemic.

He urged people to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour and get vaccinated against Covid.